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Chrysler Cirrus Starting/Stalling Problems

81 messages,  Last post on May 09, 2013 at 4:15 AM

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What is this discussion about? Chrysler Cirrus, Sedan

Messages Page 7 of 9

#56 of 81 Stalling Problem Resolved by bpeoples2010

Nov 19, 2010 (6:32 pm)

I have a 95 Chrysler Cirrus LXI v6 and It has had stalling problems your all having I have had 3 exams I have a new crankshaft positioner air positioner thing and other parts youve all suggested nothing fixed it but I did after much research and asking many questions the 95 chrysler cirrus is a giant electric circuit it needs major voltage I had a bad battery and bad alternator I replaced both of them and the stalling problem gone! The alternator was key to send enough spark basically. Anytime my car fan turned on car would stall and it would turn on idling or at stops because all voltage and spark was going to fan. replace your alternantor and battery if needed people. Alternator's are about 130 at autozone, kragen, orileys as long as you bring the old one in

#57 of 81 Re: 96 chrysler cirrus v6 2.5 engine [aseel513] by bpeoples2010

Nov 19, 2010 (6:37 pm)

Replying to: aseel513 (Jun 01, 2010 12:53 pm)
Had same prob you did till I put in a new alternator

#58 of 81 96 Cirrus Starting Problem with scanned codes by rusticsteel

Nov 30, 2010 (6:10 pm)

#59 of 81 96 Cirrus Starting Problem with scanned codes by rusticsteel

Nov 30, 2010 (6:10 pm)

Was having problems starting car when damp outside. Would have to dry/warm with hair dryer for few minutes and it would start. Read codes at that time and I was getting Random/Multiple Misfire codes and Misfire on Cylinders 1, 3, & 5 codes (forget the actual code numbers.). Eventually it wouldn't start even with hair dryer.
 
So I decided to change spark plugs and wires. Checked and double-checked plug gaps. Didn't solve my problem, but did get rid of misfire error codes. Next I decided it must be moisture getting into distributer cap, so I changed the cap and router. Great!! Solved problem and started right up. Well it ran for a little better then a day, then wouldn't start again.
 
I decided to hook code reader up again. This time, no misfire codes. Instead, I have three new codes I didn't have before. They are as follows:
 
Code P0123 -
Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor Switch A Circuit High
 
Code P0113 -
Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Circuit High
 
Code P1698 -
No CCD/J1850 Message from TCM/PCM
 
I double-checked that all the plugs to sensors were connected and snug. Seemed good. I am now at a loss on what to do next and it seems the more I read the more confused I get. Anyone have any ideas, I could use some direction on what to try next. Thanks in advance!!

#60 of 81 I finally figured it out (and it's not the alternator) by bmwrider001

Dec 07, 2010 (9:18 am)

I was driving home, about a 30 minute trip, after having dinner with my very good friend. It was a cold, dark and rainy night, with low visibility. I had no problem seeing that my alternator light was glowing red from my first start-up that night. I had driven up earlier in the day and was pleased with the way she was running, or so I thought. I had just installed a rebuilt ECM and had just located and repaired a short that had kept my odometer display and TCM relay energized causing my battery to drain for the last 4 or 5 years. I thought I was at the end of my woes, now the battery light glared at me, though the headlights illuminated my way down the Bayshore Freeway without nary a flicker. I proceeded confidently for the next 20 minutes or so. As I approached my turnoff to turn south, I stepped on the gas . . . and there was no response! I thought, huh? what now? For the next minute I repeatedly step on the gas pedal and there was nothing, yet I was still rolling at about 50MPH. I moved the gear selector from overdrive into 3rd and I regained operation of the throttle. It is a slight uphill to get onto Hwy 85, and I hoped that the engine would stay running and not strand me on the side of the road on a night like this. I was flying out for 2 weeks the following day and I would have time away to think about what was happening to me now. I do some of my best thinking in the air anyway, so that was indeed a very comforting thought. I left it in drive for several miles, slipped in into OD just to see what would happen, the void returned, stepping on the gas did nothing by increase my terror as the red warning lamp reminded me of the flames that could instantly result from an electrical meltdown, if that was what was happening to me now. Back into 3rd, control again was restored, I was about 5 miles away from home, clenching my teeth all the way. I debated making that one stop to refill the water bottles that I promised my roommate before I left. It was behaving for the most part, with trepidation I switched the ignition off while picturing how or if it would restart. The bottles were loaded into the back seat, I sat for a minute still pondering if it would turn over or not. It cranked at normal speed but did not start immediately, normally after firing, it would immediately stall, and it did. Upon restarting it, I watched with horror as first the tachometer needle dropped to zero, as I started to resume my journey home, I watched as the speedometer and then the coolant temp needle dropped to zero, the alternator light went off, then the instrument panel went totally dark and the red warning light of the alternator went back on. It was the longest mile of my life, driving from the water store to my condo in the only new car I had ever purchased, my 1995 Chrysler Cirrus, first year of production, last and only year of OBD-I electronics. I thought I had a car that would stay the course when I bought it, I now realized that it is now only a source of parts for other fated owners of this breed who think they too have mastered the reasons why their vehicle acts as it does. The responsibility I find is with the engineers that had chosen the wire to be used in the assembling of the wiring harnesses for the 2.5L variety that is at fault here. The insulation on the wires deteriorates (in the taped harnesses, not just below the distributor as some have stated) but under the intake plenum, and adjacent (on the cold side) of the underhood junction box. Who knows where else this defect exists? I am sure you will know if you stay with this forum, it is the only one that I am contributing this information to. You may wonder why I am sharing this story with you, I will leave you with that now. I was a career automotive driveability expert for 20 years, and for the next 10 years I worked with an electronic diagnostic tool company programming their tool to help other techs solve problems on today's cars. This car was at first a platform for testing and reverse engineering computer code and datastream information, as was my other vehicle, a 95 Chevrolet S-10 (which is still running well, I must say) though, it too has electrical problems not unlike those of my beloved and now dead Cirrus. I believed that I could fix anything automotive related from my many successes in the shop, under the hood and I believe that still. I now discover after leaving the industry that some vehicles simply cannot be repaired. Not because the problem was not discovered (as many of you have found after replacing crank sensors, distributors, and who knows what else ? ? ?) but because the manufacturer, including the after-market suppliers, never provided replacement parts without the defect present. That means, that hitting the wrecking yard for a new harness isn't a solution either. The 95 is a one year only wiring harness. As contracts go, who knows how long that wiring was used in harnesses? I don't know the answer to that, but, I have an answer for how to prevent this from happening again, and it is quite simple -- I will never buy another Chrysler product again!
I have already told myself this before, I have blacklisted several other companies for similarly not standing behind their products. I am sure you too do not purchase from certain companies, perhaps from a bad experience, perhaps for ethical reasons, now you can include this one as I have, if you choose. I shall not waste any more of my hard earned money chasing demons implanted in a product at the time of manufacture with no way out provided by those in the know.
 
I can easily relate this to the soullessness of the corporation, the greediness of mindless decision makers, the pointlessness of accounting decision, but I will not digress or be furthermore redundant.
 
Namaste and good luck with your choices and decisions in life!

#61 of 81 2000 cirrus wont start by glassbender101

Apr 04, 2011 (8:35 am)

my wife was driving the car and it had been running great, next thing I know she said the engine just quit while she was driving like it ran out of gas... now it cranks fine but wont start. I checked the relay or fuse for fuel pump under hood, I sprayed starter fluid inti the intake tube with no luck it seems like there is no spark...If anyone has any idead what should I try or check next?
Thanks for your time
Tim

#62 of 81 Re: Ok Got it figured out. [bmwrider001] by tommy666

May 02, 2011 (9:51 pm)

Replying to: bmwrider001 (Oct 18, 2010 10:46 pm)
I haven't been around for a while but I'm still working on my 95' cirrus. I just want to sell it. It books for $2,000 but I refuse to pawn it off until I fix It. So as far as the anti theft goes I got it figured out. The ECM I baught was reflashed for '95 and up. The problem is that '95 has no anti theft so when I got the new ECM it had anti theft information. My BCM learned this information corrupting it and locking me out. '95 has no alarm disableing devices. I was screwed. I baught a clicker but couldn't program it because naturaly I was locked out of the computer. I had to buy a new ECM and BCM and install them at the same time but parts alone would be over $1000.00. I found a guy who was able to find the wire at my BCM that would disable the alarm long enought to program my clicker. Back on the road, so I thought. The car started back with its old tricks. After changing my crank shaft position sensor 3 times, Distributor 3 times and the computer the stupid thing is stalling again. It happens when driving slow or at idle. It does not start again for 24 to 48 hours most times. I gutted the Cat. and it looked like a ball of slag. Iassumed the would fix the problem. Wrong. I got it good and hot then let it Idle and after 5 min it died. Crank and Crank but no start. I cooled it down with a big splash. 5 gal bucket of water (top off) I cranked and got it running rough missing like hell. I took off down hill as much as possible. Eventually after making her go and treating her like the bitch she is she cleaned out and purred like a kitten. Somebody suggest fuel filter, not a bad idea anyway. It sure feels like fuel. I am a bit intrigued by the altinator solution. Under powered spark now that sounds good. I once had a camero that wasn't getting enough spark and turned out to be a bad ignition switch. Thank You for your concern. tommy

#63 of 81 Alternator? by tommy666

May 03, 2011 (8:42 pm)

So I just put my alternator and battery on a tester. The battery showed 12 volts but went to low on load test. I started the car and right off it was missing. The alternater was jumping back and forth from 13 to 14 volts. It doesn't sound like much but it looked substantual on the meter. I reved the engine and the alternator started making noises I never herd before. It was not a belt slipping. Kinda like a high speed grinding. At this point I was charging at 13v. Acording to the meter that is bad. The grinding stopped and the charge went up to 14.5 and the car was idleing great until the cooling fan kicked on. The Idle came way down and a little rougher, charging at 12.5. I drove until it was hot (about 2 hours) it was 80+ degrees today. My check engine light came on for the first time ever and I was able to pull a code: 35 and 51 (lean oxygen and throtle control / vacuum). I punched out my Cat. which explains lean 02 and my cruise control is hit and miss so that explains both. I continued to let the car idle while hot checking my alternator. It slowly creeped down to 12v but I tryed to get the car to stall for 5 hours the alternator went back to charging at 14.5v and It wouldn't die today. Go figure. My alternator light has never come on but it was up and down and making noise like a Chinese Hooker. I'm going to replace it. I'll let you know how it goes.

#64 of 81 98 Cirrus Stalls, then doesn't restart for a bit by kylkoneski

May 16, 2011 (2:23 pm)

I have a 1998 Chrysler Cirrus that I got last year from my aunt. It was well taken care of by my uncle. It runs nice, everything seems normal. But my sister was hitting 30 on a street and it started going backwards and it stalled, she said there was no oil, but we just checked it and there was a normal level of oil in it. I was thinking maybe a switch or maybe even the TCM and ECM were to blame. Any thoughts or suggestions let me know.

#65 of 81 Re: 95 chrysler cirrus will not fire [bpeoples2010] by litchfamily

Sep 09, 2011 (2:15 pm)

Replying to: bpeoples2010 (Nov 19, 2010 6:26 pm)
Hi I wondered if changing the alternator has still fixed your stalling issue with your cirrus?

Messages Page 7 of 9

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